A Question for the Ages
by StarTrekFanWriter
Summary: Sarek has a question for T'Pau...and her answer is partially what puts Kirk at the helm of the Enterprise. So far Sarek, T'Pau, Kirk and Nyota, but I suspect the whole gang will be here. S/U pairing.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sarek or T'Pau** **and I don't make money from Fan Fiction**

Unbeta'd...read at your own risk. An out take from The Native...or a bit of crack...not sure!

**A Question for the Ages...  
**

"So Sarek, do you have anything else you wish to discuss with me?" T'Pau said after their briefing. Her visage flickered briefly in the moniter. The subspace connection had been suffering slight interference throughout their call.

Sarek tilted his head and looked down. It did not really have bearing on his current assignment monitoring the behavior of Vulcan's Earth Ambassador but...

"Elder...there is one thing. Perhaps it is nothing..." he said.

"Yes?" said T'Pau sitting up slightly straighter.

"My question is about creatures of Earth's mythology..." Sarek said. "Specifically...elves...The resemblance to Vulcans seems too great to be by chance."

"Who has spoken to you about this?" T'Pau asked quickly.

Sarek looked up at the monitor. He decided he didn't want to say that a human had brought the likeness to his attention. "I saw an illustration from the 20th century, at first I thought it was a Vulcan in unusual garb -- but apparently it was an illustration of...an elf."

He tilted his head. "Did Vulcans visit Earth before Surak? That would explain the resemblance--"

"This is above your security clearance," T'Pau said quickly.

Oh.

"You will not speak of this again to anyone without prior authorization," T'Pau said.

Sarek bowed. "Yes elder."

**A/N:**  
So now I have to write a story about Vulcan elves! Bwa ha ha ha!


	2. Promotion

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Did you think Jim being promoted from cadet to captain was some of the worst bit of military writing ever? Yeah, me too! This is for you, fellow "realists".

**Promoted**

Jim stood staring at the double doors outside the Admirals' Receiving Chamber. Two guards stood at attention on either side of the doors scrupulously avoiding eye contact, phasers ready at their hips.

Resisting the urge to pull nervously at the sleeves of his dress uniform, Jim "pulled a Spock", and put his hands behind his back.

It had been weeks since the Enterprise had returned to Earth. In that time nothing had been said about the Kobayashi Maru incident. He'd received a commendation from Starfleet, very publicly, to make the press happy, but Kirk was certain eventually the shoe would drop.

Starfleet was too busy dealing with survivors from the Battle of Vulcan to deal with something so trivial, but when they did -

He wanted to be heard. He wanted, no _needed_, everyone to understand that the test was rigged. It was a cheat. And that was wrong. Because it was wrong, taking any means necessary to expose it's unfairness was right.

A bead of sweat prickled on his neck. He ignored it.

Instead of completing the open hearing before all and sundry he was being drawn into a closed meeting with the Admiralty. This did not bode well.

The doors in front of him slid open. A man in the grays of Starfleet Intelligence nodded at Kirk and said, "You may enter now."

Kirk nodded and stepped forward. He was damp with sweat beneath his clothes and at the same time suddenly chill.

The Admiralty chamber was lit only by a few flood lights above. Kirk stepped into the beams of light and heard someone say, "Halt."

It was difficult to make out the faces of the men and women beyond the brightness. Kirk blinked. He was being interrogated.

"I suppose you're wondering why you're here," said the familiar voice of Captain Pike.

Squinting in the direction, Kirk straightened. "No. This is about the Kobayashi Maru. I would like to remind the Admirals that by order of Starfleet regulation 6789B I deserve an open hearing before my peers."

The room was absolutely silent. Kirk heard his heart beating in his ears.

He swallowed.

"This is not about the Kobayashi Maru," said Pike.

For some reason that made more sweat prickle on Kirk's collar.

"You're being promoted from cadet to Captain of the Enterprise, son," said Pike.

The air left Kirk's chest in a rush. "What?"

He knew his psyche evaluations, he had as healthy a dose of narcissism as any command candidate. But this...this was wrong. He was too young, too inexperienced. He had the right kind of crazy to get lucky once. He wouldn't get lucky twice. He'd seen the memories of old Spock. Still got them mixed up in his head with his own, and sometimes he thought he was that other man, that other man who had seen so much, done so much. But he wasn't. Not yet.

There was more silence.

He blinked in the light at the figures partially obscured by shadow. He began to feel as though he might actually have stumbled into a dream and not the Admirals' Receiving Chamber.

He tried to identify the admirals in the dim light behind him, and thought he recognized them all...but one. Small, hunched and - Vulcan? He was almost certain he saw the outline of pointy ears.

The figure straightened, "You will be Captain of the Enterprise." The voice was feminine, older...familiar. He shook his head, the only Vulcans he knew were Spock, old Spock and Sarek.

Kirk huffed, and then smiled. "What is this, some sort of joke?"

"No." It was Admiral Barrett's voice, Kirk was sure.

Jaw tightening, Kirk tilted his head. "What is this then, some sort of publicity stunt?"

"That's how we plan to explain it to the pols" said Admiral Keating.

Kirk turned the offer over in his mind. He was being promoted to captain and offered the best ship in the fleet...with the commission, even if it was just for show and he spent the rest of his life doing milk runs he was a made man. He could live off the fame of the defeat of Nero, the commissions from book offers, and holo movies until the day he died. He didn't need to do more.

Jim wasn't particularly Christian, but he had a grandmother who made sure he knew the Bible and the stories in it. He suddenly knew what it was to be Jesus on the mount. His soul was on the line here. Narrowing his eyes, Kirk said, "Then I don't accept." He smiled, suddenly feeling wicked, right, and lighter than air.

The Romulans were massing on the border, and Starfleet needed all hands there. He'd be there too, in the thick of it. He'd prove to them that Nero had been more than a fluke and still be the youngest captain ever.

"You will accept the position. It has already been decided." It was the voice of the older Vulcan woman...the voice he could almost place.

Tilting his head he smiled, "No it hasn't. And I can't refuse a demotion, but a promotion...Starfleet 7389C."

There was a cough. It might have been Barrett, or maybe Chu.

"You know..." said Pike. "Delta Vega is undermanned right now."

x x x x

A month later Kirk stood before all of Starfleet and a large contingent of the press and tried to look brave. As he accepted his captaincy he reminded himself he didn't believe in no win scenarios.

A face caught his eye off to the side of the Admirals, a Vulcan woman, frail, older. He knew her, no _he_ didn't know...his vision swam red and he saw Spock...older than he was now on a planet that did not exist anymore. Jim blinked and he was in the amphitheater again.

He suddenly knew whose voice he had heard in the Admiral's Receiving Chamber. "T'Pau," he muttered under his breath.

**A/N:**  
To everyone reading Appearances...I'm really sorry. It is really difficult for me to focus right now on a long story. I'm thinking I maybe just should have done snapshots like I did with "Logical Propositions". With a baby in the house I just don't know when I will have a moment to write, and it's hard to sustain the momentum of a long story. It's wearing me out.

So yeah, this story will just come and go as some inspiration strikes me too.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit. And this is unbeta'd, so read at your own risk.

Chapter 3

Nyota stood outside the double doors. In front of her stood two stone faced security guards. Flanking her on either side stood two Starfleet Intelligence officers, their faces harder still.

Nyota had been questioned by SI numerous times since her return to Earth after the Narada. But these guys were different. They were terse. Hard. As though they'd already determined her guilty of something.

She gazed sideways at one of them. He looked vaguely Native American, the other was of Australian descent, she could tell by the way he spoke Standard. They'd both refused to give her their names, or to tell her why she was here. She tried to think back to what she could have done to deserve this, and drew a blank. There was her brother - but he'd been exonerated months ago.

The door clicked. Drawing herself up, Nyota took a deep breath.

Sliding open with a whoosh, the doors revealed a very pale looking Jim Kirk.

"Nyota," he said, swallowing.

"This way," said the SI agent taking her elbow and leading her in the door.

Nyota froze. Kirk did not call her Nyota, but he looked so distraught - and with the SI guys... now was hardly the time or place to protest.

"Move it," said the other SI guy, pulling Nyota roughly forward, making her lose her balance.

"Hey, treat her with respect," said Kirk. The two guards at the door went to either side of him and began pushing him out of the room. "She served beside me on the Enterprise," Kirk said spinning around, "She saved your hides!"

Regaining her footing Nyota said, "It'll be okay." And hoped it would be.

She yanked her elbows away from the SI guys and entered the room, listenign to Kirk protest as she did. The door whooshed shut behind her and Kirk's voice vanished. She found herself standing under a bright light. Beyond her in shadows she could make out the silhouettes of what she now had no doubt were herinterrogators.

"Halt," said a voice. It was Captain Pike's. Nyota froze. She admired Pike, what could she have done to sink in his esteem?

She heard the rattle of wheels, and then one more SI guys joined her in the light, pushing a cart loaded with what looked to be some sort of space going drone of some kind. It was oblong, about 1.25 meters, one end was pointed, the other had what looked like the remnants of rockets. The whole machine was scratched, battered, blackened and looked ancient.

"Lieutenant Uhura," said another voice, "Do you recognize this device?"

Nyota shook her head. "I've never seen it before."

"Perhaps this will jolt your memory," said someone in the shadows.

The SI officer in front of her pressed a few buttons. The drone thing lit up from head to tail, a small orifice opened on the side and a light shot up and took form.

At first the forming hologram was indistinct, just a shimmering three dimensional outline. But then it began to flicker into focus. It appeared to be a woman, of African origin Nyota thought. She had short cropped curly hair, her skin looked dark. Nyota leaned forward and squinted, as though that could somehow bring the hologram into focus. The light flickered one more time and Nyota blinked. The holo came sharpened and she was staring...at herself.

Nyota's eyes widened. In the holo she looked thinner, drawn. She wasn't wearing any make up, and she wasn't wearing a starfleet uniform. Instead she wore what looked to be a parka made of skins of some kind. She looked positively medieval.

"I am Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, communications officer of the Federation Starship Enterprise. I do not have a lot of time.

"In the year 2259 my ship, under the command of Captain James T. Kirk, while on a routine mission, intercepted terrorists in possession of red matter just outside of the Oort cloud. We were unable to prevent the terrorists from detonating the red matter, in the resulting anomaly we were sucked back in time to the year 22 BC," said Holo Nyota in what could have only have been a practiced speech.

"Our subspace communication array and our warp engines damaged, we limped to Earth. And found that it was a small group of pre-Surakian Vulcans living there."

The holo Nyota looked down. "They were not...nice." Looking at the camera, holo Nyota said, "They sought to enslave our human ancestors. They were bent on domination of the planet. If their space craft hadn't been badly damaged they would have done so. As it was, it was still difficult for the Enterprise's crew and some of their number, under the command of Captain Kirk to vanquish them..."

Holo Nyota looked sideways as though nervous, "But that isn't what I need to say. In 2258 Vulcan is destroyed by the same Romulans who destroyed The Kelvin. If you get this message in time..."

Holo Nyota closed her eyes. "Spock says this will never work." She swallowed. "Jim says there is no such thing as a no-win scenario." Taking a breath she opened her eyes.

"For 20 years before the destruction of my bond-mate's home planet ships will disappear from the Neutral Zone...maybe the Narada, the Romulan ship, needs them for supplies...Every power blames the other. If you destroy the Narada before it becomes more powerful...before it comes into possession of red matter, you can save 6 billion Vulcan lives."

In the interrogation room Nyota felt sweat cold and sharp along her arms. She and Spock had spoken of bonding on many occasions. The only thing holding them back was the need for a healer.

In the holo a voice rose, as though over an intercom, "Uhura, you're out of time. We need you on the bridge."

In the interrogation room Nyota swallowed. It was Kirk's voice.

"I'm out of time," said holo Nyota. Reaching forward her hand paused in mid-air. "Nyota, if you are watching this...and Spock says you will...remember, there is always hope."

The holo flickered out abruptly, and the lights on the drone machine went out.

Nyota blinked and looked up. "Is this some sort of joke?"

Into the light stepped a Vulcan woman. In human years she might have been 50 years old or so; what little hair that peaked from beneath a traditional Vulcan headpiece was gray, the skin on her face was delicately lined.

"That is the question we have for you," said the Vulcan woman.

"I didn't make this holo," Nyota said brows knitting together, jaw going tight.

"Perhaps not yet," said the Vulcan woman. Stepping around the cart she held up her hand towards Nyota's temple, "May I touch your mind? I will not perform a meld, I merely wish to verify your...sincerity?"

Nyota unclenched her teeth. She looked at the drone. Perhaps not yet...

This was too important to worry about personal space.

Turning to the older Vulcan she nodded. "Do it."

Dry finger caressed her temple, but she did not feel the probe of a mind meld. It was just an empathic link, she and Spock shared them all the time. The older woman would know if she were lying, but not be able to read her thoughts.

"Do you have memory of making this holo, Lieutenant Uhura?" said the Vulcan woman.

"No," said Uhura.

"As I suspected," said the Vulcan woman. "She speaks the truth." She withdrew her hand, but not before sending Nyota a flicker of...was it courage?

Nyota heard a whirl, and then Pike's wheelchair rolled into the light. He took a deep breath. "Kirk has just been made Captain of the Enterprise. I take it, if he offers you the position of communications officer, you'll accept?"

Kirk? Captain of the Enterprise? He was too young...too inexperienced. She looked at the drone. A few minutes ago she would have asked if they were up to some sort of publicity stunt, giving the rookie hero of the Battle of Vulcan the flagship. She might have even refused the posting; she didn't want to be doing milk runs even if it was aboard the Flagship. Now...

Swallowing she turned to the Vulcan woman. "Have I already accepted the posting?" Nyota whispered.

"Perhaps," the Vulcan said.

A/N:  
So I've been jamming along at "Appearances" (I've torn it completely apart and am putting it back together again in what I hope is a newer more exciting way...Im not publishin' until I finish though) Anyway, I just wanted to take a little break with this...it's been knockin' around in my brain for a while.

Like it?


	4. Future Glimpses

Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.

Unbeta'd, read at your own risk.

**Future Glimpses**

Spock was mid sleep cycle when the comm chimed. Not opening his eyes he pulled Nyota's arm more tightly across his stomach. She mumbled something that might have been Orion. A flash of warmth and affection sparkled in that part of his brain newly joined to her. Spock's body hummed of it's own accord.

The comm chimed again. This time the caller identifier said, _Ambassador Sarek calling from Earth._

Spock sat up quickly. Beside him Nyota mumbled. "Your father, something must have happened."

Spock felt his stomach sink. His mind tumbled along dark trajectories with Nyota's - the bond to Nyota was still new, he sometimes wasn't sure whose feelings were entangled with his own. But he did know his father would not call in the middle of a sleep cycle unless it was urgent.

Without putting on a shirt he moved to the desk and pressed the accept button.

"Father," he said, "Are you alright?"

On the other line Sarek blinked. "I am quite alright my son. I..."

The hesitancy in his voice made Spock tilt his head. His father did not stumble over words.

"Your mission," said Sarek. "It went as planned? No mishaps?"

Spock stared at the screen for a moment, the white noise of the ship's engines seeming to echo with the white noise Sarek's question elicited in his mind. The Enterprises last mission, or as Kirk put it, the Enterprise's last milk run, had been to deliver a Tellurite delegation back to Telluride for the Telluride's ambassador's niece's birthday celebration. It would have been difficult to have a mishap of any significance - even with Jim Kirk at the helm.

"There were no mishaps that I am aware of, Father," said Spock for a moment wondering if this was some sort of trick question. But that seemed unlikely, barring some sort of mind altering agent on Sarek's part.

"Sarek," said Nyota, suddenly at his side, "What is wrong?"

Sarek stared at them. "I...needed to see you."

Raising an eyebrow Spock said, "We are returning to Earth for maintenance, and are scheduled to arrive within the next hour and thirty three minutes. Because of the ion storm in the Portos sector, there is expected to be more traffic than usual, and docking is estimated to be delayed by three hours but after that -"

"I think your delay me be longer, my son," Sarek said.

Nyota's fingers went to Spock's shoulders.

"Daughter," said Sarek, eye's alighting on Nyota. "It has come to my attention that you were briefed by Starfleet Intelligence after the destruction of Vulcan on a matter not pertaining to the Narada."

The hand on Spock's shoulder tightened. Spock tilted his head. He'd seen that 'briefing' during his bonding with Nyota, and the mysterious time capsule.

"Yes," said Nyota.

"I believe," said Sarek, eye's going to Spock, and back to Nyota again. "I believe, it is time."

Spock stiffened.

From the hallway beyond his and Nyota's quarters the Klaxons began to bellow. The rooms lights began flashing red.

From the ship's intercom came the Captain's voice, "Spock! Uhura! I need you up here now!"

"Go!" said Sarek.

Nodding at the screen Spock stood quickly, not even bothering to turn off the connection.

x x x x

"Ceptain," said Chekov from his comm. "There has been a breach in the warp coils of the enemy ship. It is going to blow."

What the fuck. 30 minutes ago Jim had received word from Starfleet that a renegade group of Romulans had acquired enough red matter to destroy Earth and were on their way to Sol System. Because the Enterprise was closest, they were ordered to intercept them and bring the terrorists into custody.

For months Jim and his crew had been relegated to milk runs and public relations stunts. This was the Enterprise's first real assignment, and Jim had blown it.

Springing from his chair, eye's locked on the small triangular vessel in the view screen, Jim said, "We didn't hit them that hard!"

"You are correct, Captain," said his first officer. "It appears to be some sort of self destruct mechanism."

Fuck. Of course, it had been a suicide mission all along. Knowing it was futile, Jim turned to Uhura, "Hail them Lieutenant. Let them know we'll beam them out."

Uhura nodded, not turning from her station. "They aren't answering, Sir."

"Of course not," Jim said bitterly. "Spock, is there anyway we can minimize the explosion so that it doesn't endanger Sol System?"

"Negative, Captain," said Spock. "However, we are .25 lightyears from the Oort cloud. The amount of red matter aboard the terrorist vessel is not enough to damage the cloud or have any ramifications on her solar system."

Jim's exhaled. That was something. "Then get us out of here before that thing -"

The view screen erupted in an orange burst as the terrorist vessel exploded. The Enterprise lurched towards it and the singularity it had created . Jim heard the collective sound of his crews' bodies being flung against their stations. Warning lights and messages erupted on the bridge. Stumbling backwards to his chair, Jim said, "Helm, get us out of here!"

"On, it," said Sulu.

"We are too close, the force of the singularity is too strong," said Chekov.

"Understood," said Jim, eyes glued on the tear in the fabric of space that had replaced the initial explosion. Hitting the comm button on his arm rest he was about to page Scotty when a ship began to shimmer and emerge from the tear. It looked familiar...same class as the Enterprise. Squinting to read the numbers on the hull, Jim's mouth fell open.

"Captain," said Sulu, "It's us!"

"Captain," said Uhura. "We're being hailed."

Jim stared at the screen for a heart beat. Licking his lips he stood from his chair. The Enterprise...the other Enterprise, seemed to solidify, but it's hull shook dangerously. "On screen," said Jim.

There was a beep, and then Jim stood face to face...with himself. Or a man who might be himself. He wore a short cropped beard. Over his regulation gold shirt he wore what looked like a crude coat of furs. Behind him the other Enterprises bridge was dark. "Don't order the ejection of those warp coils," his other self said. "You're needed on the other side."

The other, wild man Jim's eyes swung away from Jim's. _"Lieutenant Uhura, you must tell your Captain to not fire those warp coils! Tell him about your conversation with SI."_

Beside the wild Jim, a woman who could have been Jim's communication's officer emerged. But instead of Uhura's straight glossy hair, hers was a short cut halo of soft black. _ "Nyota, do it. Earth needs you - all of you."_ she said. Her eyes went to Jim's Spock just as another Spock, also sporting a beard and furs, stepped into the screen. _"Back her up Commander Spock."_

"Captain," said a soft voice, very close behind Jim. "I think we have to do what he says."

Spinning Jim found Uhura standing just behind his chair, her eyes glued to the screen.

Standing from his station, Spock said. "I believe you should trust your other self," said Spock.

Tilting his head, jaw tightening, Jim said, "_Your _other self has nothing in his memories about this." Jim knows the other Spock, well, and his own other life as well.

Swallowing, Uhura said, "What we need to do, through that singularity...maybe for the first time we have something that is our destiny, and ours alone."

Jim looked at her. Her eyes were wide, and wet, and he could see she was scared. But her chin was held high; she was so beautifully fierce and frightened at the same time.

"Captain," crackled Scotty's voice through the comm. "Do you want me to eject the warp coils?"

"No," said Jim, even though his mind was swimming with doubt, and his stomach felt hollow. He tilted his head at Uhura and Spock. The had some explaining to do.

He looked back to the screen. His other self, the wild man there, tilted his head. "Well done," he said and the voice was laced with such assurance, such sincerity, Jim felt himself go warm, and the doubts slide away like a tide.

The other Jim smiled slightly, as the Enterprise shook and Jim grabbed hold of the backs of Sulu and Chekov's chairs to keep his balance. He took a deep breath as a flood of doubt rushed in once again.

The other Jim nodded, and said in that voice so full of confidence. "Don't worry, you'll make it."

Yeah. He'd make it. Obviously he already had. He blinked up at his other self...or maybe it was _himself_ on the screen.

Damn. He could be fucking charming.

**A/N:**

Gotta love Jim's charm!

If you read and enjoyed, please leave a review.


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